Improvement in draw-bars for street-cars



r. r. ADAMS.

Draw-Bar for Street-Cars.

NO. 167,968, PatentedSept-ZL1875;

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UNITE STATES PATENT QFFIGE.

FRANKLIN F. ADAMS, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND ALONZOFARRAR, OF BROOKLINE, .MASSAOHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN D'RAW -BARS FOR STREET-CARS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 167,968, datedSeptember 21, 1875; application tiled August 10, 1875.

To. all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN F. ADAMS, of the city and county of Erie,of the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Draw-Bars for Horse- Railway Carriages; and do hereby declare thesame to be fully described in the following specification, andrepresented in the accompanying drawing, which is a side view of adraw-bar with my improvement.

In carrying out my invention 1 construct .the draw-bar with an abutmentprojecting from it below its couplings, such abutmentbeing to sustainthe draft-pole, from which an arm projects, and bears against the saidabutment.

In the drawings, A denotes the draw-bar, as applied to the platform B ofa horse-railway carriage, so as to slide freely longitudinally in boxesor projections, a b. This drawbar at its front end terminates in or isfurnished with a coupling, 0, as shown, and between the two projectionsa b there encompasses the draw-bar a helical spring, D, which bears atits front against the box I), and at its rear end against a collar, E,fastened in the draw-bar. The coupling 0 projects upward, and in otherrespects, as shown, from the bar, so as to form a shoulder,'c. to estopthe rearward movement of the bar. Projectingdown from the bar, andarranged with respect to the coupling 0, in manner asshown, is theabutment F, which moves with the coupling and bar, and with the formeraids in supporting the pole when coupled to the draw-bar.

The bar A, the coupling, and spring are to relieve the draft animalsfrom sudden strain in starting the carriage. They also operate toprevent the carriage and its load from being suddenly started forward,it being well known that by reason of such sudden movement personsstanding in the car or on its platform are liable to be thrown down orlose their balance. The abutment F, by moving with the coupling, keepsthe pole always at its proper angle of elevation, and allows it to turneither to one side or the other as circumstances may require.

I do not claim such an abutment rigidly applied to the platform of ahorse-railway car, and used with a coupling also rigidly fixed thereto.By having the coupling and abutment applied to a movable bar supportedby a spring, as set forth, they can move forward or backward with thepole and the bar.

I claim- 1. The combination of coupling-clip G having abutment F, bar A,and spring D, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of carplatform B, spring D, bar A, and coupling 0having stop 0, and abutment F, all substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

FRANKLIN F. ADAMS. Witnesses:

R. H. EDDY, J. R. SNOW.

